Worship and Confession
One of the “rhythms” of corporate worship for Christians is confession. I would like to encourage you to not be afraid of it, but rather embrace it as the biblical practice it is.
“Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The urgent request of a righteous person is very powerful in its effect” (James 5:16, HCSB).
Every week during the service, we have scriptures and songs that intentionally illuminate our need to confess our sins. This is a biblical pattern of engaging with God. Consider in Isaiah 6 how the prophet, upon entering God’s presence (v. 1) immediately recognized his unworthiness (v. 5). God then provided a means of purification (in this vision, it is an angel with a glowing coal in v. 6), and the prophet’s sins were atoned for (v. 7).
The greatest thing about confession is that it is connected to repentance and atonement: “ If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). In our services after our “rhythm” of confession, there is another “beat” to our gathering: the assurance of pardon. This is where we are reminded that our sins are forgiven. These two “rhythms” of our gathering (confession and assurance), center our worship in the gospel and keep our hearts founded upon the truth of the gospel.
When you gather with the church to worship, let me encourage you to embrace these rhythms of confession and assurance. Acknowledge the sin in your life, and then rejoice in the forgiveness offered to us in Christ. Let this rhythm of confession and assurance wash over your heart and remind you of the significance of what Christ accomplished on the cross.
soli Dei gloria,
Pastor Zach
